Light Rhubarb Meringue Tart

📝 Ingredients

• 1 ready-rolled shortcrust pastry sheet (about 230 g)
• 700 g rhubarb (about 5 stalks)
• 160 g caster sugar (70 for the rhubarb, 90 for the meringue)
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar (7.5 g)
• 20 g cornflour (2 tbsp)
• 20 g ground almonds (2 tbsp)
• 3 egg whites (about 100 g)
• 1 pinch of salt

🍴 Utensils

• 26 to 28 cm tart tin
• Baking beans or dried pulses
• Large frying pan
• Electric hand mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Spatula

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Wash the rhubarb, trim the ends and pull off the thickest strings with a small knife, as you would for celery. Cut the stalks into 2 cm pieces.
2. Unroll the pastry into the tin with its baking paper and prick the base with a fork every 2 cm. Cover with a sheet of baking paper and fill with baking beads or dried beans so it doesn't puff up during baking.
3. Blind-bake the pastry for 15 min, remove the paper and beads, then bake for another 10 min, until the base is dry and lightly golden. Take the tin out and lower the oven to 170 °C.
4. Meanwhile, put the rhubarb in the frying pan with 70 g caster sugar and the vanilla sugar. Cook over a medium heat for 8 to 10 min, stirring gently: it should release its juice and soften while keeping a few pieces intact.
5. Mix the cornflour with 3 tbsp cold water, pour it over the rhubarb and cook for 1 to 2 min, stirring constantly, until the juice thickens and turns glossy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly for 10 min.
6. Sprinkle the tart base with the ground almonds: they absorb the cooking juices and keep the pastry crisp. Spread the rhubarb on top in an even layer, without pressing it down.
7. Whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt using an electric mixer, first on medium speed until foamy, then on full speed. When they are stiff, add the 90 g caster sugar in 3 additions and whisk for another 2 min: the meringue should be glossy and hold a peak.
8. Spread the meringue over the rhubarb with a spatula, right to the edge of the pastry to seal it well (otherwise it shrinks), then make peaks with the back of a spoon. Bake for 12 to 15 min at 170 °C, until the peaks are nicely golden.
9. Leave the tart to cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature before cutting it with a knife dipped in hot water. It keeps for 24 hours in the fridge; after that, the meringue softens and weeps a little.